This study will compare two different kinds of physical therapy to improve use of the hands in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). One treatment will be Constraint-Induced Movement therapy (CI therapy), the other will be a set of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatments (yoga, relaxation exercises, aquatherapy, massage). The study will determine which of the two forms of treatment is more successful for improving hand use.

CI therapy involves repetitive practice with the more-affected hand on typical daily living activities (such as stacking objects, pouring, moving objects) for 3.5 hours per day, along with physical restraint of the better hand to keep it from assisting, and home practice exercises.

Behavioral: CI Therapy

CI Therapy will be given for 3.5 hours per day, Monday-Friday, for 2 consecutive weeks.

Other Name: Constraint-Induced Movement therapy

Active Comparator: CAM treatments

CAM treatments are holistic physical treatments designed to work on the entire body to improve quality of life and overall health. This study will use yoga, relaxation exercises, aquatherapy (pool therapy), and massage.

Behavioral: CAM treatments

CAM treatments will be given for 3.5 hours per day, Monday-Friday, for 2 consecutive weeks.

Other Name: Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Detailed Description:

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) frequently causes reduced use of one of the hands, and as a result, much of daily living activities are conducted only by the other hand, leaving the person effective one-handed. Nonetheless, reduced hand use can be improved for extended amounts of time with specific forms of physical therapy, as long as persons with MS have the ability to perform the training tasks.

This study will randomize persons with MS who have relatively reduced use of one of the hands to either CI therapy or CAM treatments. Treatment in either program will be for 2 consecutive weeks, 3.5 hours per day (Monday-Friday), under the direct supervision of a specially trained therapist. Before starting, participants will also undergo comprehensive medical and physical exam screening and brain MRI scan. The same evaluations will be performed after treatment to learn whether any of these have changed as a result of treatment.

ability to pick up and release a small object with the more-affected hand when requested

can travel to the treatment program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

can undergo treatment for 2 weeks (Monday-Friday), 3.5 hours per day

can undergo MRI scan

any kind of medication used for MS is allowed except spasticity medicine

Exclusion Criteria:

disease relapse in the past 3 months

pregnancy

marked pain with arm movement

severe uncontrolled medical illness

simultaneous treatment with another form of physical therapy

Contacts and Locations

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To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01081275